Dec. 02, 2019 UPDATE

Shijo Kawaramachi Bus Guide - How to Get Anywhere in Kyoto from Downtown!

This article is a guide to the Shijo Kawaramachi bus stop and covers some unknown pitfalls of the confusing setup!

With the famous Nishiki Market and Teramachi Shopping Street nearby, the intersection of Shijo Kawaramachi is undoubtedly the heart of downtown Kyoto. Additionally, with the number of hotels in the area, Shijo Kawaramachi not only sees the most foot traffic in the entire city but is also where many people start their sightseeing journies from.


One of the most convenient forms of transport in the area is buses. From Shijo Kawaramachi you can get to practically any major spot in the city.

However, because there are so many buses and bus stops, many people hesitate to ride them.

Not only that, recently we’ve seen a problem where even if people know which bus to catch, they don’t know where to catch it from.


We’ve also added links to google maps for all bus stops and destinations on the list too.


Kawaramachi areaFirst, we’ll cover the biggest pitfall of Kyoto buses; the abundance of bus stops with the same name. In the Shijo Kawaramachi area, 8 separate bus stops share the exact same name, yet serve buses that take completely different routes.

Because of this, even if you look up your destination on Google maps and find out the right bus number, you often have no idea which bus stop it stops at and where that bus stop is.

bus stops

In order not to get lost, first check the location of the different bus stops.

Shijo Kawaramachi contains 8 bus stops, lettered A to H.

While each bus stop is slightly separated from one another, they are all named “Shijo Kawaramachi.”

As Japan drives on the left side of the road, we’ve placed the arrows above in the direction the buses will run. If you understand which direction your destination is in, then you’ll be able to narrow down the possible bus stops you can use.


Listing how to get to every spot in the city from Shijo Kawaramachi would be very tough, so we’ve just compiled a list of the buses that take you to the main spots around Kyoto.

Each bus listed below will take you to the desired major spot without the need to change bus.


Kyoto Station → Stop A (Bus No. 5), Stop B (No. 4, 17, 104, 106, and 205)


Kinkakuji Temple → Stop A (Bus No. 59), Stop F (Bus No. 205)


Kiyomizu-dera Temple → Stop A (Bus No. 59), Stop E (Bus No. 207)


Nijo-jo Castle → Stop D (Bus No. 12)


Arashiyama → Stop D (Bus No. 11)


Follow these links to see information about your desired bus stop.

[Stop A] [Stop B] [Stop C] [Stop D] [Stop E] [Stop F] [Stop G] [Stop H]


Below is a list of each bus stop’s location and the buses that stop there.

Use this list to find exactly where your desired bus leaves from.



Bus Stop A ← Check the location on Google Map.

Bus Stop A Bus Stop A is located north of Shijo-dori on the east side of Kawaramachi-dori.

This bus stop is in front of H&M so is simple to find.


Direction headed: South

Destinations accessible without changing buses: Kiyomizu-dera Temple (Bus No. 86), Kinkaku-ji Temple (Bus No. 59)


All served buses

Bus No. – Main destination – Number per hour – First/last bus


No. 5: Shijo Karasuma/Kyoto Station – 3-4 buses per hour – First: 6:32/Last: 22:59


No. 10: Sanjo Keihan/Imperial Palace/Kitano Tenmangu Shrine/ Myoshin-ji Temple/Ninna-ji Temple – 3 buses per hour – First: 6:35/Last: 21:56


No. 15: Nijo-jo Castle/Enmachi/Ritsumeikan University – 2 buses per hour – First: 6:55/ Last: 22:17


No. 37: Sanjo Keihan/Kitaoji Bus Terminal/Kamigamo Shrine – 4 buses per hour – First: 6:31/Last: 23:05


No. 51: Sanjo Keihan/Kitano Tenmangu Shrine/Ritsumeikan University – 1 bus per hour – First: 6:51/Last:21:04


No. 59: Sanjo Keihan/Kinkaku-ji Temple/Ryoan-ji Temple – 4-5 buses per hour – First: 6:38/Last: 21:59


No. 86: Kiyomizu-dera Temple/Kyoto Station/Umekoji Park/Kyoto Railway Museum – 2 buses per hour (weekends only) – First: 10:15/ Last: 18:45


Kyoto OKAZAKI Loop: Higashiyama Sanjo/Okazaki Park/Heian Jingu Shrine/Kyoto Zoo – 4 buses per hour – First: 9:00/ Last: 18:30




Bus Stop B ← Check the location on Google Map.

Bus Stop B

Bus Stop B is located south of Shijo-dori on the east side of Kawaramachi-dori.

Follow the KYOTO MARUI department store south for a bit and you’ll find the bus stop.

department store

Bus Stop B is located south-east of the Shijo Kawramachi intersection next to the KYOTO MARUI department store.

You can see Bus Stop B in the right-left corner of the above photo.


Direction headed: South

This bus stop mainly serves buses headed to Kyoto Station.(Bus No. 4, 17, 104, 106, and 205)


All served buses

Bus No. – Main destination – Number per hour – First/last bus


No. 4: Kyoto Station – 4 buses per hour – First: 6:54/ Last: 21:48


No. 5: Kawramachi Gojo/Kyoto Station – 3-4 buses per hour – First: 6:47/ Last: 22:40


No. 17: Kyoto Station – 4 buses per hour – First: 5:51/ Last: 23:18


No. 80: Gojo-dori/Nishikyogoku/ Uzumasa Tenjingawa Station – 2 buses per hour – First: 6:45/ Last: 22:25


No. 104: Kyoto Station/ Umekoji Park/Kyoto Railway Museum –1 bus per hour (weekdays: First: 10:33/ Last: 18:33) – 2-3 buses per hour (weekends: First: 10:02/ Last: 18:47)


No. 106: Kyoto Station – 1-2 buses per hour (weekends only) – First: 9:30/ Last: 17:22


No. 205: Kyoto Station – 8 buses per hour – First: 6:01/ Last: 23:28




Bus Stop C ← Check the location on Google Map.

Bus Stop CBus Stop C is located south of Shijo-dori on the south-west side of Kawaramachi-dori.

You will be able to see Bus Stop B across the road.

Unlike the other bus stops, this one is somewhat tough to find, so keep your eyes peeled.

The actual bus stopThe actual bus stop is tough to find, but behind it is a large waiting area, so keep an eye on the building side of the street as you walk.


Direction headed: North


All served buses

Bus No. – Main destination – Number per hour – First/last bus


No. 17 (weekdays only): Demachiyanagi/Hyakumanben/Ginkaku-ji Temple – 4 buses per hour – First: 9:13/ Last: 18:28


No. 104: Sanjo Keihan – 1 bus per hour (weekdays: First: 11:57/ Last: 17:57)/ 4 buses per hour (weekends: First: 9:42/Last: 18:27)




Bus Stop D ← Check the location on Google Map.

Bus Stop DBus Stop D is located on the south side of Shijo-dori to the west of Kawramachi-dori.

Walk west of the Shijo Kawramachi intersection down the south side of Shijo-dori and you will find the stop.


Direction headed: West

Destinations accessible without changing buses: Arashiyama (Bus No. 11), Kinkaku-ji Temple/Nijo-jo Castle (Bus No. 12)


All served buses

Bus No. – Main destination – Number per hour – First/last bus


No. 3: Kyoto University of Foreign Studies/Matsuo Bridge – 5-6 buses per hour – First: 7:05/ Last: 23:00


No. 11: Uzumasa/Arashiyama/Saga – 3 buses per hour (weekdays)/2 buses per hour (weekends) – First: 6:55/ Last: 22:30


No. 12: Nijo-jo Castle/Kinkaku-ji Temple – 4 buses per hour – First: 7:06/ Last: 22:19


No. 31: Shijo Karasuma – 1 bus per hour – (weekdays: First: 6:48/ Last: 21:21)/(weekends: First: 7:03/ Last: 20:22)


No. 32: Nishikyogoku/Kyoto University of Foreign Studies – 3 buses per hour (weekdays)/2 buses per hour (weekends) – First: 7:10/ Last: 22:12


No. 46: Shijo Omiya/Kamigamo Shrine – 5 buses per hour – First: 7:03/ Last: 22:57


No. 201: Shijo Omiya/Senbon Imadegawa – 5-6 buses per hour – First: 6:19/Last: 23:36


No. 203: Nishioji Shijo/Kitano Tenmangu Shrine – 5-6 buses per hour – First: 5:57/Last: 22:54


No. 207: Shijo Omiya /Toji Temple East Gate – 6 buses per hour – First: 5:58/Last: 23:22



Bus Stop E ← Check the location on Google Map.

Bus Stop EBus Stop E is located on the north side of Shijo-dori to the west of Kawaramachi-dori.

Walk west of the Shijo Kawramachi intersection down the north side of Shijo-dori and you will find the stop.


Direction headed: East

Destinations accessible without changing buses: Kiyomizu-dera Temple (Bus No. 207)


All served buses

Bus No. – Main destination – Number per hour – First/last bus


No. 11: Sanjo Keihan – 3 buses per hour (weekdays)/2 buses per hour (weekends) – First: 6:44/ Last: 22:16


No. 12: Sanjo Keihan – 3 buses per hour – First: 6:53/Last: 22:04


No. 31: Gion/Hyakumanben/Shugaku-in Temple – 1 bus per hour – First: 7:22/Last: 22:00


No. 46: Gion/Museum of Art/Heian Jingu Shrine – 5 buses per hour – First: 6:41/Last: 22:33


No. 201: Gion/Hyakumanben – 5-6 buses per hour – First: 5:41/Last: 23:04


No. 203: Gion/Ginkaku-ji Temple – 5-6 buses per hour – First: 6:28/ Last: 23:19


No. 207: Gion/Kiyomizu-dera Temple/Tofuku-ji Temple – 6 buses per hour – First: 6:01/Last: 23:24


No. 100 yen bus (weekdays only): Kyoto City Hall/Karasuma Oike – 6 buses per hour – First: 11:19/Last: 18:09




Bus Stop F ← Check the location on Google Map.

Bus Stop FBus Stop F is located to the north of Shijo-dori on the North West side of Kawaramachi-dori.

This stop is in front of the Kawaramachi OPA shopping mall so is simple to find.


Direction headed: North

Destinations accessible without changing buses: Kinkaku-ji Temple (Bus No. 205)


All served buses

Bus No. – Main destination – Number per hour – First/last bus


No. 4: Demachiyanagi/Shimogamo Shrine/Kamogamo Shrine – 4 buses per hour – First: 7:20/Last: 22:22


No. 205: Shimogamo Shrine/Kitaoji Bus Terminal/Kinkaku-ji Temple – 8 buses per hour – First: 5:48/Last: 23:22




Bus Stop G ← Check the location on Google Map.

Bus Stop GBus Stop G is located to the north of Shijo-dori on the North West side of Kawaramachi-dori.

This stop is located between stops F and H.

Behind the stop is a large pharmacy and across the street is H&M.


Direction headed: North

Destinations accessible without changing buses: Ginkaku-ji Temple (Bus No. 17)


All served buses

Bus No. – Main destination – Number per hour – First/last bus


No. 3: Demachiyanagi (toward the Eizan Electric Railway Kurama Line)/Hyakumanben–(Kamihatecho) – 5-6 buses per hour – First: 6:22/ Last: 22:16


No. 17: Demachiyanagi (toward the Eizan Electric Railway Kurama Line)/Hyakumanben/Ginkaku-ji Temple – 4 buses per hour – First: 5:58/Last: 23:12




Bus Stop H ← Check the location on Google Map.

Bus Stop HBus Stop H is located to the north of Shijo-dori on the North West side of Kawaramachi-dori.

This stop is in front of a large, easy to spot pachinko parlor and is simple to find.


Direction headed: North

Destinations accessible without changing buses: Ginkaku-ji Temple (Bus No. 5 and 32)


All served buses

Bus No. – Main destination – Number per hour – First/last bus


No. 5: Museum of Art/Heian Jingu Shrine/Nanzen-ji Temple/Eikando Temple/Ginkaku-ji Temple/Shisen-do Temple – 6 buses per hour – First: 6:37/Last: 23:13


No. 32: Museum of Art/Heian Jingu Shrine/Ginkaku-ji Temple – 3 buses per hour (weekdays)/2 buses per hour (weekends) – First: 6:29/Last: 21:30


100 yen Bus (weekdays only): Kyoto City Hall/Karasuma – 6 buses per hour – First: 11:21/Last: 18:11



These have been all Shijo Kawaramachi bus stops from A to H and all the buses served by each stop.

Next time you’re catching a bus, use this article and find exactly which bus to take, the number and where it stops.


We hope this helps you enjoy a stress-free holiday in Kyoto.


For more information, such as bus timetables, head to the Kyoto City Municipal Bus home page linked here (Japanese only):

https://www2.city.kyoto.lg.jp/kotsu/busdia/hyperdia/menu073.htm

Shin[ Sharing Kyoto Staff ]
There are so many buses that pass through the Shijo Kawaramachi bus stops that even if you’re living in Kyoto, it’s not rare to end up lost. With so many people packing the streets of the Shijo area, going back and forth down the streets looking for your bus can get tiring. So we hope you can use this article and take away some of the stress of using the buses in Kyoto.
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